Preview: Dynamo, Dallas to battle for El Capitan on ESPN2

"El Capitan" is once again on offer to the winner as the Houston Dynamo and FC Dallas meet for the only time this season in league play for Texas supremacy. The Dynamo saw their four-game unbeaten run come to an end last weekend in a 3-1 loss at Vancouver. FC Dallas return to league action after their league winless run was stretched to nine games in a 3-2 loss at Real Salt Lake.

FC Dallas has won once all-time in Houston in 11 meetings in all competitions, a 1-0 victory at Robertson Stadium on May 5, 2010.

After going nearly three years and nine games without a win against their in-state rivals, FC Dallas have won two of the last five meetings between the teams, with two draws. A four-game unbeaten streak for FCD in the series was ended in the final meeting last year.

The clubs play for "El Capitan", the 19th-century Mountain Howitzer cannon to be awarded to the winner of the season series by supporters groups for both clubs.

The Houston Dynamo saw their unbeaten run come to a halt after four games, crashing to a 3-1 defeat by Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place. The Dynamo are in a tie for sixth place in the Eastern Conference with 16 points from 12 games.

HIGHLIGHTS: Whitecaps get big win over visiting Dynamo

LAST MATCH

Whitecaps FC opened their account after just four minutes. Darren Mattocks turned the ball into the top left corner of Tally Hall's goal following a fine cross from Young-Pyo Lee from the right for the opener.

Mattocks added his second on 66 minutes, finishing a play masterminded by a fine pass from Gershon Koffie. The Ghanaian midfielder received the ball from Jun Marques Davidson before hitting a perfect pass with the outside of his boot for Mattocks to run onto and finish.

Seven minutes from time, Macoumba Kandji belted home a finish from a Brian Ownby cross from the heart of the area to get the Dynamo back to within one.

But four minutes later, Jordan Harvey put the game out of reach, tapping home from close range after a Houston defender failed to deal with Koffie's cross from the right flank after he stripped a Dynamo player of the ball.

Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear made three changes to the team that defeated the LA Galaxy 2-1 at BBVA Compass Stadium. Warren Creavalle, Nathan Sturgis and Luiz Camargo all came into the team with Andre Hainault, Jermaine Taylor and Je-Vaughn Watson on international duty.

The three goals conceded by the Dynamo matched a season-high, the club also allowing three goals in a 3-2 loss at D.C. United on April 28.

"We gave up an early goal and were chasing the game. We were great for the first half, we controlled a lot of it but we were still chasing the game. We had enough chances to score more than one goal today; we had some looks at goal," sauid Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear. " ... The way we started the game was a problem for us, but overall on the road to carry possession is obviously great, but the most important thing is a result."

With Andre Hainault and Jermaine Taylor joining Geoff Cameron on international duty, the Dynamo had two new players in the back four. Rookie Warren Creavalle made his full MLS debut, playing at right back.

"He's been playing well in practice and got the opportunity to play today and battled very hard," Kinnear said of Creavalle. "All in all, if he continues to play in practice and like he did in this game here, I think he's going to have a little career for himself in MLS."

Nathan Sturgis, who had started a pair of matches in a holding midfield role, move back to partner Bobby Boswell in central defense.

Macoumba Kandji scored his first goal since coming to the Dynamo in the offseason. "At the end of the day, we lost, so it didn't feel good," Kandji said. "We were just unlucky today. We've got to move on from it and focus on the game against Dallas next Saturday."

"We tell him that when he's in the box is when he's going to score goals," Kinnear said. "If you look at his chances, the one he scored and the one where [Vancouver goalkeeper] Joe Cannon pulled off a great save ... he was 10 or 12 yards from goal and inside the post. That's what he needs to do to be an effective forward."

Rookie Brian Ownby, who had suffered through an injury-hit first few months, also made his full MLS debut and recorded his first MLS assist, setting up Kandji's goal.

After starting the season with victories in their first two games to begin the seven-game season-opening road swing, the Dynamo are now winless in their last seven away matches.

"I thought there were times that we were the better team, but at the end of the day, it's about the score, and I think we were our own worst enemy at times," goalkeeper Tally Hall said. "Obviously not starting the game well and giving up that chance is disappointing, but I think we rebounded well. We're disappointed with the loss."

FC DALLAS

FC Dallas return to league play after having their winless streak extended to nine games in their last match, a 3-2 loss to Real Salt Lake on May 26 at Rio Tinto Stadium. FCD is in a tie for seventh place in the Western Conference with 13 points from 15 matches.

HIGHLIGHTS: RSL steal the win against FC Dallas

LAST MATCH

The game opened up in the 59th minute when substitute right back Terukazu Tanaka delivered a cross into the area that found Alvaro Sabor"o ghosting across the six-yard box, and he was able to head it past FCD goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.

The visitors drew even in the 75th minute. Rookie defender Matt Hedges crept into the area on a restart and was in perfect position to pounce on a loose ball when RSL failed to clear a Zach Loyd chip, his blast just clearing the line before 'keeper Kyle Reynish could parry it away.

RSL regained the lead a minute later as Saborio got his second goal of the match. The Costa Rican beat the Dallas defense in the right channel after some neat build-up from Grabavoy and substitue Jonny Steele, his 15-yard blast deflecting off Hedges and beating Hartman to the near post.

But Dallas pulled level again in the 85th minute. This time it was Blas PÈrez, who despite being well marked at the top of the area, contrived space to turn and blast directly at Reynish, who saw the ball slip through his fingers and into the net.

The dramatic finish came three minutes into stoppage time. With RSL pushing almost everyone forward, defender Nat Borchers found himself unmarked eight yards from goal after Loyd failed to clear, and he curled a right-footed shot into the side netting.

FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman made no changes to the team that lost 2-1 to the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park.

FC Dallas saw their winless skid stretched to nine games in league play in the loss at Real Salt Lake, one game shy of the club record set in 2005.

"I think the most disappointing thing for us is that we worked so hard for so long and to leave again without any points, you feel like a little piece of you dies every time you lose a game," said goalkeeper Kevin Hartman. "It's been a rough patch for us and it's easy to point fingers and it's easy to blame, but at the end of the day we all have to raise our level."

The three goals allowed to RSL were the most conceded by FC Dallas this season since a 4-1 loss at D.C. United on March 30.

"I think the most important thing is to get guys back, get guys healthy, we have a lot of injuries," said defender Zach Loyd. "I think the main thing as far as the back line goes is that we've given up way too many goals so far this season. So I think we need to really get on the same page and start getting some shutouts."

Matt Hedges made his fourth start in the last five league games, and scored his second goal in as many matches.

"You've got to try and separate them," Hedges said. "You've got to do your best to get better and at the same time you have to work hard for the team and do your job." Said FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman: "Fantastic, it couldn't have been better. We're getting a lot out of him."

Blas Perez scored for the second time in three games, after going more than a month without hitting the back of the net.

"Well, there was some good play from Jackson and from Perez, basically they are the only two who are attacking and the rest of the guys are filling holes right now," said Hyndman. "It is encouraging to come back twice and to not give up and to see the fight that our guys put out there."

Three days after the league loss, FC Dallas were bounced from the U.S. Open Cup in the third round in a 2-0 loss to the USL PRO Charlotte Eagles in Frisco.

"When I came off the field, I think a fan said it to me probably the best. And it's the word I used with the team. And the only word I used with the team, 'unacceptable'," Hyndman said. "That was an unacceptable performance by professional players."

While starting a team mainly of first-choice players, Hyndman was forced into a pair of changes on his backline when both Zach Loyd and George John suffered knocks. "It's not one of those things you can really take a breath and be like, darn they're off the field," goalkeeper Chris Seitz said.